Eyeglass-holder.



vC. G. ALDRICH.

EYEGLASS HOLDER. APPL-1cAT1oN man APR. 14. 1913. RENEWED ocr. 1o. 1916.

Patented July 10, 191?.

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CARL Gr. ALDRICH, F SGMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

nYnGLAss-Honnnn.

Application led. April 14, 1913, Serial No. 760,885. Renewed Oetcber 10,1916.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CARL Cr. ALDRIGH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inEyeglass-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to eyeglass holders and particularly to that typeof eyeglass holder which comprises a spring actuated reel and a cord orchain connected therewith to which the eyeglasses are fastened. Myinvention has for its object to provide an improved holder of the classindicated, and the invention resides in the novel features ofconstruction and arrangement set forth in the following description andparticularly pointed out and defined in the claims at the close thereof.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a central cross sectional viewof an eyeglass holder constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view partly broken away and in section.

Fig. 4 is a detail hereinafter described.

Figs. 5 and 6 are details of the reel hereinafter described.

Having reference to the drawings, A represents a base plate which formsthe back of the reel inclosing casing and B a cover that is secured tobase plate A by means of ears Z9, Fig. 3. From the outer side of thebase plate A projects a post a to which is pivot-ee the butt end of apin a which at its opposite end coperates with a hook a2 projecting fromthe base plate A. This pin a serves, as usual, to fasten the device tothe clothing of the user. Cn its inner face the base plate A is madewith a central stud as provided near its inner end with a reducedcylindrical portion t4 on which is rotatably mounted a reel C held inplace against a shoulder a5 on stud a3 by means of a screw D mounted inthe stud a3, said stud being interiorlyA threaded to receive the shankof the screw with the head d of said screw bearing against the inner endof the reduced portion at so as to leave the reel C free to turnthereon.

The reel C comprises two cup shaped members c and 02 fastened togetherby means of prongs or ears c3 provided on member c2. These prongs c3 arepassed Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1U, 191.?.

Serial No. 124,898.

ment of the bull c7 into and out of the pockets or recesses el providedupon the inner side of the flange Z2 projecting from the head Z of screwD. Each pocket cG is made with a cam .side 08 the purpose of which willappear later. In order tov hold the ball 07 against falling out of thepockets c when said balls are out of engagement with the screw D Iprovide a ring 09 which is forced into place within the member o2.

This ring o9 is preferably made from celluloid or other suitabletransparent material. To the reel C is fastened one end of a cord orchain 01 which extends from the reel out through an opening b2 providedthrough the wall of cover B and at its outer end this cord or chaincarries a snap hook c by means of which the cord or chain is coupled tothe eyeglasses. Y

Within the member c is arranged a coiled spring 012 whose outer end isfastened at 013 to the member c and whose inner end is made with a hookengaging a slot a6 provided in the stud a3.

Holders of this class are usually attached to the coat, vest or waist ofthe user and when the glasses are not in use the cord 01 is fully woundupon the reel C and the glasses hang suspended close to the holder. Whenit is desired to use the glasses the cord c1 is pulled outward and asthe reel carrying the plate c5 is rotated in the direction of the arrow,Fig. 2, the cam side 08 lifts the uppermost ball c7 out of the upperpocket d and at the same time the spring 012 is wound up. When thedesired length of cord 01 has been drawn off from the reel the operatorpermits the spring 012 to rotate reel C in the opposite direction untilone of the balls 07 reaches and drops into the topmost pocket alwhereupon the reel is locked against further movement in that directionunder the influence of spring 012. When it is desired to re-wind thecord 01 upon the reel C the operator by giving said cord a quick jerkcauses the uppermost cam c8 to throw the uppermost ball c7 out of itspocket al and before said ball can fall back into said pocket the springcl2 rapidly rotates` winding movement of reel C the balls@7V are heldatthe outer extremities of the recesses c6? bycentrifugal force.

From the above description it Will be seen'that the entire reelmechanism of my improvedv holder is mounted/upon the base plate A so'thatsaid mechanism can becompletely assembled :and adjusted before thecover'B is applied. Also the construction shown and described is simpleyand efficient and/cannot be easilyl disarranged. Moreover,g theconstruction shown andk described is extremely simple and kvvill stand fcomparatively hard usage, whereas the constructions heretofore proposedhave been relatively complicated and 'required delicate ,partsVeas'ilyfafected bystrain =and wear. In my improved holder* the mechanismis compactly arranged and strongly constructed with themin-imum number'of parts.

What I claim is:

1.1In an eyeglass reel of the'character described the combination of areel made at oneend with'a recess; a plate secured within said recess`made withra'ball holding pocket having 'oneside thereof formed as aball lifting cam; a' ballimounted within said pocket; a retainer securedwithin the recess ofthe reel for vholding ,theba'll within its'pocket,an`d a post on vwhich the reel is rotatably mounted, said'post-coperating with the ball to lockv the reel aga-inst rotationl inone direction.

2. 'An eyeglass holder comprising a casing; means yuponthe outside ofthecasing for attaching the holder toits support; a reel'rotatablysupported within` the casing; a spring connected with the reel4 forrotating the latter in one Edirection; a'cord or' the `rlike'connectedwith the reel; a locking member mounted on said reel with provisionfforlimited radial and angular movementV relatively-thereto means connectedwith the c asing. and normally engaging said "locking member to' hold itagainst rotating withthe reel in leither-direction, and a cam on thereel `for lifting the locking member radially toy free it from 4saidholding means when the reel is rotated bythe cord.

V3. An eyeglass Vholder of the class described comprising a casing;means upon the exterior of the: casing for attaching it to its support;astud upon the interior of Asaid casing5provided With a ball receivingrecess; a reel rotatably ,mounted on said stud madewi-th a ball holdingpocket;a cord or the like connected with said reel; a spring Aforactuatingthe reelv inone direction; a

ball clutch member loosely confined in the ,pocket of the reel so as tohave limited radial and angular movement independently of the reel, saidball normally occupying the recess of the stud to hold said reel againstbeing rotated by the spring, and a tangentially disposed cam surface onthe reel for lpositivelylifting theiball out off the recess -upon theinner face of said base plate; a

reely rotatably mounted on said stud; a screw mounted in said stud forholding the reel on' the latter; a'locking member mounted on said -reelwith provision for limited -radial movement; a ange projecting from thehead of said screw and formed With a radial pocket coperating with saidlocking member to hold the reel against rotation in one direction; a camon the reel for shifting the locking member radially upward when thereel is moved in the opposite direction; an actuating spring connectedat one end with thereel and at its opposite end with said stud,and lacord or the like connected with the reel.

5. An eyeglass holder comprising a casing made up of a base plate and acover secured together; means -upon the outer face of the base plate forattaching theholder to its support; an interiorly threaded stud upon theinner face of said base plate; va reel rotatably mounted on said stud; aplate secured to one face of said reel made with a ball holding recess,one side of which is shaped to-serve as a cam; a ball mounted in saidrecess and movable radially therein to a limited extent, said ball beingadapted to be shifted radially outward by the cam side of said recesswhenA the reel is moved in one direction.; a screw mounted in said stud,the head of said screw being made with a pocket cooperating with saidball to hold the rcel against rotation in the opposite direction; a ringsurrounding the head of the screw and secured tothe reel for holdingsaid ball in Aits, recess; an actuating spring connected at one end withthe reel and at its opposite end with said'stud, and a cord or the likeconnected with the reel.

lIn testimony whereofI have aiiixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

CARL G. ALDRICH.

Witnesses Y P. OBERG,

ARTHUR f F.l RANDALL.

i fCopies'iof this patent maybe obtaindforve'cents ea'eh,-byaddressingthefCommissioner of'ZPatents.

` Y Washington, D. C.

